List of mammals of Croatia
This list shows the IUCN Red List status of the 59 mammal species occurring in Croatia. Seven of them are vulnerable and four are near threatened.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed on the respective IUCN Red List published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:
EX | Extinct | No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. |
EW | Extinct in the wild | Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range. |
CR | Critically endangered | The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. |
EN | Endangered | The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. |
VU | Vulnerable | The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. |
NT | Near threatened | The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future. |
LC | Least concern | There are no current identifiable risks to the species. |
DD | Data deficient | There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species. |
Some species were assessed using an earlier set of criteria. Species assessed using this system have the following instead of near threatened and least concern categories:
LR/cd | Lower risk/conservation dependent | Species which were the focus of conservation programmes and may have moved into a higher risk category if that programme was discontinued. |
LR/nt | Lower risk/near threatened | Species which are close to being classified as vulnerable but are not the subject of conservation programmes. |
LR/lc | Lower risk/least concern | Species for which there are no identifiable risks. |
Subclass: [Theria]
Infraclass: [Eutheria]
Order: [Rodent]ia (rodents)
----Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to.
- Suborder: Sciurognathi
- **Family: Castoridae
- ***Genus: Castor
- **** Eurasian beaver, C. fiber
- **Family: Sciuridae
- ***Subfamily: Sciurinae
- ****Tribe: Sciurini
- *****Genus: Sciurus
- ****** Red squirrel, S. vulgaris LC
- ***Subfamily: Xerinae
- ****Tribe: Marmotini
- *****Genus: Marmota
- ****** Alpine marmot, Marmota marmota LC
- **Family: Gliridae
- ***Subfamily: Leithiinae
- ****Genus: Dryomys
- ***** Forest dormouse, Dryomys nitedula NT
- ****Genus: Eliomys
- ***** Garden dormouse, Eliomys quercinus NT
- ****Genus: Muscardinus
- ***** Hazel dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius LC
- ***Subfamily: Glirinae
- ****Genus: Glis
- ***** Edible dormouse, Glis glis LC
- **Family: Cricetidae
- ***Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- ****Genus: Arvicola
- ***** Water vole, Arvicola terrestris LC
- ****Genus: Chionomys
- ***** Snow vole, Chionomys nivalis NT
- ****Genus: Clethrionomys
- ***** Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus LC
- ****Genus: Dinaromys
- ***** Balkan snow vole, Dinaromys bogdanovi NT
- ****Genus: Microtus
- ***** Field vole, Microtus agrestis LC
- ***** Common vole, Microtus arvalis LC
- ***** European pine vole, Microtus subterraneus LC
- **Family: Muridae
- ***Subfamily: Murinae
- ****Genus: Apodemus
- ***** Striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius LC
- ***** Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis LC
- ***** Broad-toothed field mouse, Apodemus mystacinus LC
- ***** Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus LC
- ***** Ural field mouse, Apodemus uralensis LC
- ****Genus: Micromys
- ***** Harvest mouse, Micromys minutus LC
- ****Genus: Mus
- ***** Steppe mouse, Mus spicilegus LC
Order: [Lagomorpha] (lagomorphs)
The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae, and Ochotonidae. Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.
- Family: Leporidae
- *Genus: Oryctolagus
- **European rabbit, O. cuniculus introduced, in Iberian Peninsula
- *Genus: Lepus
- **European hare, L. europaeus
Order: [Erinaceomorpha] (hedgehogs and gymnures)
The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.
- *Family: Erinaceidae
- **Subfamily: Erinaceinae
- ***Genus: Erinaceus
- **** West European hedgehog, E. europaeus LC
Order: [Soricomorpha] (shrews, moles, and solenodons)
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
- *Family: Soricidae
- **Subfamily: Crocidurinae
- ***Genus: Crocidura
- **** Bicolored shrew, Crocidura leucodon LR/lc
- **** Lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura suaveolens LR/lc
- **Subfamily: Soricinae
- ***Tribe: Nectogalini
- ****Genus: Neomys
- ***** Southern water shrew, Neomys anomalus LR/lc
- ***** Eurasian water shrew, Neomys fodiens LR/lc
- ***Tribe: Soricini
- ****Genus: Sorex
- ***** Alpine shrew, Sorex alpinus LR/lc
- ***** Common shrew, Sorex araneus LR/lc
Order: [Chiroptera] (bats)
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
- *Family: Vespertilionidae
- **Subfamily: Myotinae
- ***Genus: Myotis
- **** Bechstein's bat, Myotis bechsteini VU
- **** Long-fingered bat, Myotis capaccinii VU
- **** Geoffroy's bat, Myotis emarginatus VU
- **Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- ***Genus: Barbastella
- **** Barbastelle, Barbastella barbastellus VU
- ***Genus: Nyctalus
- **** Greater noctule bat, Nyctalus lasiopterus LR/nt
- **** Lesser noctule, Nyctalus leisleri LR/nt
- **Subfamily: Miniopterinae
- ***Genus: Miniopterus
- **** Schreibers' long-fingered bat, Miniopterus schreibersii LC
- *Family: Rhinolophidae
- **Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
- ***Genus: Rhinolophus
- **** Mediterranean horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus euryale VU
- **** Greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum LR/nt
- **** Lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros LC
- **** Mehely's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus mehelyi VU
Order: [Cetacea] (whales)
The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.
- Suborder: Mysticeti
- *Family: Balaenopteridae
- **Genus: Balaenoptera
- *** Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus EN
- *** Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata NT
- Subfamily: Megapterinae
- *Genus: Megaptera
- ** Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae LC
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- *Family: Physeteridae
- **Genus: Physeter
- *** Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus VU
- *Superfamily: Platanistoidea
- **Family: Delphinidae
- ***Genus: Tursiops
- **** Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus DD
- ***Genus: Stenella
- **** Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba LR/cd
- ***Genus: Delphinus
- **** Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis LR/lc
- ***Genus: Grampus
- **** Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus DD
Order: [Carnivora] (carnivorans)
, a subspecies of golden jackal
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which eat meat as their primary dietary item. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
- Suborder: Feliformia
- *Family: Felidae
- **Subfamily: Felinae
- ***Genus: Felis
- **** European wildcat, F. silvestris LC
- ***Genus: Lynx
- **** Eurasian lynx, L. lynx LC
- Suborder: Caniformia
- *Family: Canidae
- **Genus: Vulpes
- *** Red fox, V. vulpes LC
- **Genus: Canis
- *** Gray wolf, C. lupus LC
- *** Golden jackal, C. aureus LC
- *Family: Ursidae
- **Genus: Ursus
- *** Brown bear, U. arctos LC
- *Family: Mustelidae
- **Genus: Mustela
- *** Stoat, Mustela erminea LC
- *** Least weasel, Mustela nivalis LC
- *** European polecat, Mustela putorius LC
- **Genus: Martes
- *** Beech marten, Martes foina LCc
- **Genus: Meles
- *** Eurasian badger, M. meles LC
- **Genus: Lutra
- ***European otter, L. lutra NT
Order: [Artiodactyla] (even-toed ungulates)
The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in perissodactyls. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.